Let's Chew the Fat

All right, so you're trying to eat healthier.

You do all the recommended things...

cut back on processed foods, add more whole grains to your diet and add fat to your salads.

Add fat to your salads?! What kind of health advice is this?

Good advice, according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition. Turns out that eating fat in salad dressings helps your body increase the absorption of nutrients such as lycopene and beta-carotenoids three to five-fold over salads made with no or low-fat dressing.

Tip from your Wellness Coach: But hold on. Before you dump half a bottle of full fat salad dressing on your Romaine, remember to keep your daily total caloric needs in mind. Make your salad dressing with good quality extra-virgin olive oil or use a no-fat dressing and add avocados, which are high in minerals and mono-unsaturated (good) fat.

Here's a recipe for a wonderful salad dressing made with olive oil:

Uncle Paul's Salad Dressing

Ingredients:
6 fl. oz.  good quality extra-virgin olive oil
juice of one lemon
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt

Simply combine all ingredients and stir well prior to serving. Keeps well in the refrigerator, although you may have to bring the dressing to room temperature prior to serving to make it pourable.

Enjoy!

Comments

[Nancy Matesanz]

Good oils are important for healthy eating. Here's another "good fat" dressing idea for salad. It's what my brother calls my "house dressing." Sprinkle a salad with garlic powder, salt, and a little dill weed. Then add a little lemon juice (if you're using bottled juice drizzle a little or squeeze a slice or two of fresh lemon) and then drizzle with olive oil. Toss and taste. Add a little more of any of the ingredients according to your personal taste. Sorry I can't offer amounts, but I just do this by sight and taste. Enjoy.